Means for supporting trousers



Sept. il, 1 931. c. s. MAcKENzlE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING TROUSERS Filed March 12, 1930 age.

Ptentredsept. 1,` "1931 1 'i CHARLES S. MACKENZIE, 0F BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY MEANSv Fon' SUPPORTING TROUSERS 'originen appiicationiiiednay 17,1928, seriaiNp. 278,425. Divided amiens application mea March i2,

'1930. y,seriai @The invention is an `improved ineansof supporting trousers on the w-earer without .the-use of Suspenders ora beltworn'around Ythe outside ofthe 'waistband tothe endthat they Lwill hang correctlyand gracefully on VVVthe wearer and therebypresent'a neat and comfort to the wearer.v

well-dressed appearance at all times and with Before proceeding with a description of my invention either generally or in detail,

Y andfin order to facilitate the description thereof, l desire itunderstood that whenever i vv,used herein the Word beltvfwill be intended to include all suitable kinds of girdles aswell as all suitable kinds of belts.l That whenever lused hereintheword waistband will beintended to includeall and every part of the waist portion of trousersbutniore particularly the yupper marginal part thereof; that whenever used herein the words encircling lu'ilt7 will bejintended to include all suitable kinds of belts orgirdles whichare worn Y around the outside of thejwaistband for the V"pui-pose of 'supporting trousers; that when'- r everusediiereinthe word Suspenders will l be intendedito include all and every kind of )his feet straight under him.

Vbraces. and other trousersy supporting devices that are Aheld in place by means of straps or elastic' bands, passing Y over the shoulders:

ll`hat-thedescription of the location of the trousers supports rkincluded in this invention, ,with reference"tothewearers feet conteniplates the'4 position Vof l"the feet when the wearer isstanding in a normal position with ytisagreed byv tailors and clothiers generally and'isa matter ofcoinmon knowledge among wearersof belts, that trousers cannot be made to hang to thebeet advantage by the Y`useof encircling belts nor can trousers so supportedk maintain the position at which they .are adjusted. On this account suspendpers are commonly recommended or employed li'f'henever Gracefulhang and appearance are Y greatly 'desired'as .in dress or evening clothes. 'lhepreason whyjsuspenders give a more ygraceful hang to trousers than do belts, is be-` ;cansethey exert their supporting 'pull privinarilyvia-t the front, and'rearparts 'of ythe waistband. This pull is usually exerted by two arnis on the front end of each strap that passes over. Vthe shoulders, which arms are buttoned to thewaistband in positions which more or less stradd'ie the-vertical planes of the front creases customarily pressedin the front part of trousers legs. -The rear'part of the Suspenders, whether fastened to the vwaistband by two or more arms, impart an upward pull to the rear part ofthe trousers on both sides of the spine although that pull is likewise inward toward the spine. It is by reason of the upward pull being exertedprimarily at the points indicated that suspenders perinit or cause the trousers to hang free Wihconsiderable grace around the body and legs of the wearer. But I have discovered thatl aperpendicular pull exerted in the waistband in perpendicular,alignment with the front and rear creases customarily pressed in trousers legs imparts a still more graceful hang to the trousers. In the case where trousers are sustained by an ordinary belt the waistband iscompressedinoreor less equallyl around the entire'body and the. i

supportingpull is thus exercised at all points of the waistband regardless ofthe number of belt loops employed.; the effect of which is to cause the trousers to drag and ybind against .f

the wearers legs and forni in transverse folds But a large percentage of nien in this counp try prefer touse belts rather than Suspenders,

as trousers supports, notwithstanding their admitted inefliciency and drawbacks, as they find them more comfortable and convenient than suspenders and because they present a much neater appearance when coat yand vest are removed. n' Y f The general Vobject of the invention `is to afford a method and supply means of supporting trousers possessing all of the advantages of both Suspendersy andbelts as well as other ladvantages without *theV disadvantages of either. More specifically stated, the obj ect of the invention is to provide a method and means by which 'trousers can be suspended ers legs and the wearers legs; tliatthey will f beas frfeeas possiblenfroin transverse and angular vfolds andwrinkles; that they will not sagor slip down around the. waist and legs'. D y

"grain of the drawing shows the points A, B,

when the wearer sits down', stoops', or otherwise tienes the body 5' vthat they-can be easilyl raised or lowered vwithout unbuttoning the` vest Yor trousers; that vthey will hang in straighter andV more graceful lines than.VV it Y would be possible for theni to do if they were Y suspended on the body" by means yor 'any' kindoi" an encircling belt or even-by` the usual type of Suspenders; also yto produce a device neat in appearance, highly practical, moderl atein price, andl so Adesigned"and constructed as toenable the wearer to easily and quickly attach the trousers thereto or disengage them therefrom and which will ailord greatercomfort to the wearer and materially improve the appearance of his trousers andvwhich will also overcome the inconvenience, discomfort f andv annoyance, occasioned by wearing suspenders', encircling belts'and any known kind :of interior'sbelt ortrouserssupport.

'r My invention accomplishes these'results 'f through' the useof suitable attachment ele- Y V"ments-or hooks to be atlilred in the inner side ofthe waistband at said four points and's'uita-blefmovable Asupporting elements Vto becarried--on said `belt in the same perpendicular arenas ered May ,init/2a. y

' Figsgl ancl-Qillustrate more or-less ldiaygranimaticallyvthe necessary relation' of the i pointsof support tofthe ieetfoi2 the wearer v pla-ne asV 'the` attachment elements, together p ,constituting'the subject of this-invention, and all ofY which is' more speciifically described f '-.iereafter and eXemi, ililied in the acconipaiiyl Y fing drawings.y 'This-application is a division otmv copeiidingai'iplication Serial Number ig. Sis a. perspective viewyoff a vportion ofthe belt with the preferred Jforni ot sup- .'portin'g elementsupplied; i

is ahorizontal section through the Vbelt supporting element.' attachment element and waistband in position or-slightlyseparated for clear-ness ;l

d element of Fig.

VThe belt l maybe suitable adjustnientineans or buckle "lt waistband.

U Fig. 5V vertical section of the same;v i

Fig; 5 lis the attachment Velement or hook designed'to cooperate with thesupporting any ordinary belt with is wornover the shirt. not shown', or, other undergarment, ,so that it is inside fof the The'letters A, 4B, C, and mark thefonr 9 points atv which thetrousersfare supported vtrom thebody. 1

lThe horizontal lslots betweenthe cressbars b `not enter according to this invention and as indicated by the dotted-line, theypwill be seen to be located respectively verticallyabove the center of the instep, or torward'part of the foot, l

aXisof-thefleg and thereby will result in the objections referred to. Althoughthe diafC and'l)VV in parallel planes, it will be understood that this is for cle-arnese of illustration and that their position isin any event in the vertical'planes of the axes or thetwo-jfeetor` kthe wearer `when they are parallel and facing straight forward.: Y

'As a, preferred form-ofsupportingv and attachment meansl employ an element com-V f prising a metal plate withV o-set end portions '3 vertically slotted toreo-sive the belt, and a central portion provided lwith a vertical series of identical horizontal crossbars i equally Yspaced from one another,'like a ladder. T his central portion is disposed on the-outside of the ybelt and by the arrangement of the oil- 1 sets is spaced slightly away kfrom it to pro- .vide clearance forfthe head 5 of the attachment element, shownin Figli rlhegvertical vslots in the off-set end portions are ola width slightly Vwider thanrthe thickness of the belt sufficient to allow thesupp'orting element to. be readilyV worked along the belt eitherfforward or backward as desired, when the belt islloose', by exercising a vmoderate degree of. force with the fingers, but not Sulliciently `wide-'to permit the supporting ele-j Without pressure. The purpose'of kthis is to prevent a change of poment toslide along it sition ofthe supporting element, due to slipping along the belt, when the belt-is removed l are'de'signed as to vertical width with reference to the lengt-hot the 'liead'ofl the .attach- 'f-iiientv'eleinent lshown inllig. l(l as Well as vwith reference togthethickness: of the crossbars s? is; I

and their distance `romthe underlying portion of the belt, sothat the TI-'shaped head oi 'the attachment 4eleinentcan be inserted in jany of said slotsas desiredat ananggle so that the guardpart at the top of the head will just clear the nearest-upper crossbarV 4 of the supporting element and-restunder it as the arm-'supporting the head '5 comes in' contact with-fand restsion the next lower crOsSbar.

Y. It is obvious thatit the lhead otthea-ttachment element were too long v itlireferenc the vertical width-of the horizontal slots,

'theivthickn'essf of the crossbars,V andl the distance they are-awavtroin the'underlyiiig por- "ti'on of thefbelt, all ofthe'head and particuiard part at the top thereof could larlyA the" such slots, aslthehead having to to v enter the slotsat an anglewo-uld come in con- Ytacit with the underlying belt and its progress stopped; v(lonverselynif the slots had too great vertical width, Wifthrefercnce'to the 'length lof thehead E5, til-1e thickness of Vthe vcrossbars 4, andthe distance the underlying n portion ofthe belt is away from the crossbars, the angle at which the head could enter or be removed from thev slots would-be so Y element inward downward through the y'slight that there would begrave danger o1 the attachment element Vbecoiiiinfg accidental- Vly *disengaged from' the supporting element v'shown.in-Fig. 3'. Y

In order to facilitate the'insertion of the *head 5'of the-attachmentelement Fig.6 in i vthe slots betweenthe crossbars 4 the head portionjl isset at an angle to or slightly curved awayfroinfthe base 7. The head 5 is olliset from the baise '7` of the attachment element F ig. t3 a sufficient distanceso that the "lower part ofthe-base 'will not come in vcontact withanyof 'the crossbars 4 when the head of the attachment element isbeing set any ofthe slotsbetween the cross bars 4l.

Byconstructing-theengaging part or head pait v'of the attachment element `as above 1n- 'difcated, with reference to the central portion ofthe snppo'rtinrr element as above described,

the attachment ement can easily and `druck- 'ly be engaged with the supporting element by pushing the hook part 5j of the attachment desired slot in an arc-liliedirection, and may,

aseasily an-dquiclily, be disengaged therefroiinby'pulling the attachment member upward and outward in an arc-like direction. The fact that it is almost impossible to disengagel theiattachnient element from the sup'- y porting element except byan arc-like motion upwards and outwards prevents it from becoming accidentally disengaged. This attachment element is secured in any appropriate manner to the inner face of the waistband 6 and its T-sliaped head is adapted, as above described, to be introduced bctween any of the crossbars 4 by first inserting the lower hook end or point ofthe head and then pushing it inward and downward inan Varc-likedirection, sothat the guard part comes under the next upper crossbar and the base of theattachment element becomes'parallel with'the belt surface. In this position, Fig. 5, .accidental Adisengagement is safely prevented. The attachment element*v may be secured to the waistband by sewing,

forwhich purpose its base 7- is perforated as indicated, orit may be `secured in any other kap'iirop'riate way, but in any case an attachment element isk carefully located atV each of the four points ofsupport as hereinbefore indicated. The supporting elements are irst located on` the belt as nearly as may be,vto

-be alignment vwith ther attachment elements, when the trousers are being worn, and

the'fbelt is'then fastened around the wearers 'f waist at the desired tension; 'the trousers are then buttoned up and the four points in the 'belt in the vertical planes of the front and` in the front and in the rear as will conform to the height to which the trousers have been pulled at said four points respectively.y Any slight lateral variation of the position of the 'supporting elements with reference to the attachment elementsV is of no importance'provided it is slight for the reason that the horo i-Zontal slots of the supporting elements are purposely made about one half inch longer rthan the width` of the head of the attachment element, so as to compensate for any such variation and in order to permit self-location of the attachment elements in their` respective predetermined and correct positions.

It is advisable to aliix the attachment elements to the lower margin of the 'waistband at thefour points of support, as this will usually permitof about one inch increase in vertical adjustment of the trousers. It also provides a maximum of waistband to cover the belt so in most cases to entirely conceal it.

It will be apparent that within the prin- 'ciples above explained the invention can be lembodied in numerous forms and applied in a variety of ways. Having described my invention, I claim: l. A trousers-supporting device "comprisliiig a supportingelement adapted to be cari ried' on a belt worn underneath the trousers having its `two terminal portions offset and slotted to receive the belt and' be supported by it, 'and having its central portion spaced from the outer side of the belt and consisting of a. vertical series of horizontal crossbars equally spaced from one another forming intervening slots and an attachment element on the inner de of the waistband of trousers having a headadapted 'Lo enter any of said l l2. A trousers-supporting element composed of rigid material to be carried on a belt to be worn underneath the trousers having its side terminal portions vertically slotted to receive the belt and besupported by it and having its central portion spaced from the outer side of the belt andfconsisting'ofa vertical series of crossbars spaced from'one' another, in combination with an attachment element consisting of a dat base suitably designed land constructed to venable 'itL to be fastened to the inner portion ofthe waistband ot trousers and an arm which is offset from the base whichcarries on its end'a head consisting of-a hook part and a guard 'part tlie hook part of which is under said arin and the guard part of which is above said arm,

which said head is set away from the base and is designed and constructedto be ,in-

serted in one of the slots between any two of said crossbars, the arm part thereo'l:l sup-v porting the trousers by` resting on theunderlying crossbar over which the hook part has lbeen passed vand the guard part thereof preventing accidental disengagement by coming in contact'rwith the nextoverlying crosslbar when'any upward pressure is exerted VVother than acombined outward and'upperV Y pressure.' j trouseissupporting element coinpoised ofi'igidmaterial tofbecarried on a f beltto be worn.underneath the trousers baving itssideterminal portions verticallyl slotted to receive thebelt and be supported by it, vsaid vertical slots having a lateralwidth .to easily accommodate the thickness of the belt Yand allow theV supporting element .to be worked along-the belt either forward or backward as desired ywhen the belt is loose on Vthe body by exerting a moderate degree of AVbetween any two otsaid crossbars at an 'angle A andthe top or forward part thereov will Just Y Vvtorce with the lingers. but preventing unintc-iitional displacement when the belt is removed from the body, and having the ylength 4ot said slots slightly greater than the width ofthe belt; said supporting element also hav- 'ing inits central portion a Vertical series off. crossbars equally spa-ced onerrfrom another Vand spaced from the outside'of the beltl and having' thethickness of Vsaid crossbars, the widthpo'the spaces betweenV them and the distance of the erossbars from the underly- 'ing belt all designed with referei'icer tothe. attachment el'einentrto be-used in conjunction Y specification.

Vwhich the hook part thereofl bears to its base 1 being determined "withrrelation to the thickness ofthe crossbars,y the Width .of the intervening slotsand -the distance of the crossbars from the underlying `4belt, sof that.v the Ahead part may easily be insertedfbetween any two oi said crossbars andV so that i when so inserted the odset arm will rest yon the undervlyingcrossbar7 and the guard part end of the headv willbe underneathjand almost contiguous iith tlie'neXt oyerlyingcrossbar thus Vprecluding disengageinentl therefrom Vexcept by means of an outward and upwardor arclike motion. 'jj

` A5. Atrousers-'supporting device to .be car fried on a belt worn underneath the waist por-Y between them, in combination withcanattachment elementadapted to bel affixed to the inner tace of said waist portion-ofthe trou- .sers and Jformed to enter in.Y any of said slots,

said element-being of less horizontal dimension .than said slots whereby it` may vassume any predetermined position with `reference to said plate. Y l

ln testimonyA whereof, I have signed this cniiniinsisfMACKENZIE.

with'sa'id supporting. element so that the head 'not the' attachment element may be inserted clear and rest under the overlying crossbar wien the arm'supporting the headofthe at- V taclim'ent elfiiiient'rests on the 'underlying "crossbarir i i rh trousers-attachment element Ycomposed otifigid material'consistingv of'a liat "r suitably designed and constructed to en* Y able it to be fastened to vthe inner portionotV the waistband of trousers, an Yarm which is Y l CFL Vodset from `the base and carries on its endahead consisting of a hook part which is under said arm and 'a guard partV which is above said arm and said head being set at an angle away fromA saidbase, in combination with a supporting element carried on a belt worn `artnindrthe waist inside the trousersA waistbandthe engaging part of which supporting.

element'consists of a vertical series'of horil 4vZontal crossbars equally `spaced from one anotherV and oset frein the underlying and supporting belt,V the lengthof the 'head partV 'of' said Yattachiynent element-,and thefangle. 

